Life-saving appliance for use at sea.



L. TABULU.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANCB FOR USB AT SBA.

APPLICATION IILED PEB. 17 1914. 1,107)632 Patented Aug.18, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. TABUL.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANGE FOR USE AI SEA.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1914.

1,107,632. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. TABULO.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANGB FOR USE AT SBA.

APPLICATION IILED FEB. 17, 1914.

1,107,632.. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

L. TABULO.

LIFE SAYING APPLIANCE FOR USE AT SEA.

APPLICATION FILED rma. 17, w14.

1,107,632, Patented Aug. 18, 1914,

8 SHEETS-SHBBT 4.

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L. TABULO.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANGB FOR USB A'I SEA.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17,1014.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

SHEETSSHEET 5.

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L. TABUL.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE POR USE AT SEA.

APPLIUATIOH FILED rm, 1v. 1914.

1,107,632. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

8 SEBETS-SHBET 6.

L. TABULO.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANGE FOR USB AT SBA.

APPLIoATIoN rlLnn rma. u, 1914.

1,107,632, Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

B SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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L. TABULO.

LIFE SAVING APPLIANGE FOR USE AT SEA.

PPLIOATION FILED FEB. 1v, 1914.

1,107,632, Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

B SHEETS-SIIBBT 8.

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i Companions* drew-ings UNFFED STA TES PATENT OFFCFJ.

LOUIS TABULO, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LIFE-SAVING APLIANCE FOR USE AT SEA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 17, 1914. Serial No. 819,244. l

sels and the like, where the space available precludes the possibility of carrying a sufieient number of boats or where the weight of said boats if carried would materially affect the stability of the ship.

The main object of the invention is to so construct life-savingl appliances of the semisubmerged type that the persons to be saved will be submerged to a greater' extent than in previous constructions of such life-saving appliances, say to an extent such that twothirds or three-quarters of the bodies of said persons will be immersed in the water, so that the weight to be sustained by the .floats or buoyant members of the improved lifesaving appliances will be only that of the remaining one-third or one-quarter of their bodies. This object is attained by so constructing a life-saving appliance that the persons using the same will sit astride a narrow batteri or frame or frames or battens suspended from the life-saving appliances and located between the buoyant members thereof.

A further object of the invention is to so construct life-saving appliances of the type to which my invention relates that said appliances will be reversible, that is to say the parts thereof will always come into the pro-per position no matter what may be the manner in which a raft-structure or deckseat may become water-borne.

A further object of the invention is to increase the carrying capacity of life-saving appliances of the semi-submerged and analogous types, an object which is attained by providing same with foldable ladders or ladder devices adapted when in use to depend from the sides or the sides and ends of the life-saving apparatus.

The invention is illustrated by the ac- Of these drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a raft-structure according' to the invention, in which two floats or buoyant members arranged at the sides of the raft-structure and` parallel to one another are used, said floats being, for the purpose of econoinizingstowage, adapted to` fold inward. Fig. Il is a plan and Fig. is

a transverse section of a somewhat similar.

raft-structure, in which however three floats or buoyant members arranged parallel `to one another are used, the center float being fixed and the two outer floats being ar anged so as to fold inward. Fig. 6 is a view illustratiiig the appearance of the saine float `structure when out of use. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a 'further construction ofI raft-structure. Fig. S is a view. drawn to a greater scale than the preceding figures, illustrating the use of the hereinbefore referred to ladders or ladder devices. Figs. 9,

10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate a double deckseat constructed in accordance with the iiivention, Fig. 9 lieing a plan in which part of the back of the seat is shown broken away, Fig. l() a side elevation. Fig. 11 an end elevation and Fig. 12 a longitudinal section. while Fig. 13 is a transverse section of the improved deck-seat, the part-s thereof being in this figure shown in the positions they would occupv when the deck-seat uis the positions they occupy when in ilse. Figs.`

22 and Q3 are vertical Sections of further constructions of deck-seats. Figs. 24 and 25 are perspective views illustrating a still further construction of deck-seat. Fig. QG isa view illustrating how the improved deckseats may be used .iu conjunction with a seaanchor. Fig. .37 illustrates an; automatic catch which may be used in the majority oi cases.

:Patented Aw, 1s, 1era- Referring first to Figs. l, 2 and 3, a raft-A structure according to the present invention may consist of two floats or buoyant members 1, arranged at the sides of the raftstructure, parallel to one another, and of a narrow frame 2 connected by means of ropes or the like 3 to a light tubular frame 4, which is itself connected to the iioats or buoyant members 1. The floats or buoyant members 1 may be of any suitable construction, for instance may consist of hermetically sealed casings containing air or bolsters formed of Waterproof material and containing cork, lapok, or other suitable buoyant material. The floats are preferably 4connected to the tubular frame 4 by eyes 5 so that they may, when the raft-structure is not in use, be folded inward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and thus minimize the space occupied by each raft-structure. The narrow frame 2 is made of lesser length than the distance between the innermost parts of the end members of the light tubular frame 4, so that the narrow frame 2 can readily pass through the tubular frame 4, thereby enabling the raft-structure to be reversible, that is to say independent of the way in which it becomes waterborne. The narrow frame 2 preferably consists of two boards 2 and cross pieces 2 which are located at such distances apart as to allow the occupants of the raft-structure to sit astride the boards 2, that is to say with one leg on the outside of a board 2 and the other leg in a space obtaining between two of the cross pieces 2. The frame 2 could however be replaced by a single batten or board in which case the occupants of the raft-structure would sit astride said batten and the width of the raft-structure would be less than that shown. Any suitable number of ropes 3 may be used, but thek number of ropes attached to the boards 2 of the 'frame 2, or to the single batten, if such is used, would preferably be such as to provide separate spaces for the legs of all of the occupants of the raft-structure. rlhe raftstructure may be provided with eyes 6 for the reception of rowlocks, so that the stru@ ture, however it may become water-borne, may be rowed by the occupants.

l/Vith a view to increasing the carrying capacity of the above described raftstructures the floats or buoyant members 1 are provided with ladders on which persons in the water may seat themselves. Means are also preferably provided by which said persons may, after they have seated themselves on the rungs of the ladders, secure themselves in position thereon so as to avoid the necessity of having to hold on to the raftstructure and prevent them possibly losing their lives as a result of exhaustion or unconsciousness arising from long exposure. The ladders, which would extend along practically the whole length of the iioats or buoyant members 1 and also, if desired, along the ends of the raft-structures, would be constructed of two or more rungs 7, 7 formed of tubing, and ropes 8, attached to said rungs and to said buoyant members, while the means by which said persons would safely secure themselves in position would consist of ropes 9 attached at one of their ends to said buoyant members and provided at their other ends with suitable lengths of chain 10 adapted to be passed on to hooks 11 liXed to the floats.

The ladders, ladder devices and safety ropes and chains would be used in the manner now to be described with reference to F 8.

A person in the water wishing to save` himself by means of one of the ladders would climb on to the lower rung or rungs 7 and seat himself on one of the upper rungs 7 in the position shown in Fig. 8, that is to say with his legs on the two sides of one of the ropes 8. He then detaches from its hook 11 the chain 10 attached to the rope 9 in front of him, and passes said rope under his arms and across his back and attaches the chain 10 to its hook 11.

A raft-structure according to the present invention instead of being constructed as above described may be constructed in the manner shown by Figs. 4, 5 and B, that is to say may consist of a light tubular or other like suitable frame 12,. acentral float or buoyant member 13, two side floats or buoyant members 14, and two battens 15 connected by ropes or the like 16 to the tubular frame 12 and to the central float 13. The central float 13 is fixed to the tubular frame 12. The two side floats 14 are preferably c0nnected to the tubular frame 12 by eyes 17 so that they may be folded inward, as shown in Fig. 6. The raft-structure would be provided, see Fig. 5, with the ladder devices and safety ropes and chains described with ,reference to the raft-structure illus- -trated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Again a raft-structure may be constructed as illustrated in a more or less diagrammatic manner by Fig. 7, that is to say may consist of a light tubular frame formed of H-shaped end members 18 and side members 19 con nected to said end members. The buoyant members 20, which may be two, four or more in number, are pivotally supported on said side members 19, and the central batten 21 on which the persons to be saved would sit astride, would be connected to said side members 19 by means of ropes 22. The normal positions of the buoyant members 2O are indicated in full lines, while the positions which they occupy when the raft-structure is in the water is shown in chain lines.

The raft-structure last described would also be provided, as in the case of the earlier fforms of raft-structures, with the ladder devices and safety ropes and chains already described.

Deck-seats accordingto the invention are co-nstructed on similar lines to the improved raft-structures, that is to say are so constructed that the persons using same will sit astride one or more battens which will always be available for use no matter in what position the deck seat may become waterborne.

Several deck-seats constructed in the manner above described are illustrated by the` accompanyin g drawings.

Referring to the construction of double deck-seat illustrated by Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 the deck-seat is constructed of a skeleton box-shaped frame 23 and the back 24 of the seat is removably secured to the skeleton frame or main part 23 of the seat, a suitable arrangement being to provide the ends of the back 24 of the seat with depending rods 25 and the ends of the skeleton frame with eyes 26 for the reception of the depending rods 25. The floats or buoyant members 27 of the deck-seat are secured to the lower surfaces of two flaps 28 hinged to the sides of the skeleton frame 23. These flaps would be retained in their normal positions, on the top of the skeleton frame 23, by means of the back 2st. of the deck-seat.

The battens 29 on which the persons to be and 18 the deck-seat is constructed on similar lines to the deck-seat illustrated by Figs. 9 to 13. In this case the floats or buoyant members 31 are hinged at their centers to the skeleton frame 32, and the latter is fitted with a removable cover 33 or seat proper, while only one batten 34: is used, which like the corresponding battens of the previous construction of deck-seat are slidably mounted on rods The floats would be provided at their fronts with loops 36, Fig. 15, for facilitating rotation of same from the position shown in Fig. 17 to the position shown in Fig. 18, and catches, preferably automatically acting catches, would be provided for retaining the floats in the position shown in the last referred to figure.

The deck-seat just described would be used in substantially the same manner as the previously described deck-seat, as will be read- `brmyant members `are Deck-seats according to the invention may be constructed 1n other ways. Further examples of deck-seats arc illustrated by Figs.

1,9, 20 and 21, Fig. 22, and 25.

ln the construction of the deck-seat illustrated by Figs. 19, 2() and 21 the floats or shown as being adapted to be partly withdrawn from the skeleton frame or main part of the deckseat by sliding movements in outward directions. llfhen the floats or buoyant members are adapted lo be moved in this manner the deck-seat may be provided at its center with a partition 257 which would divide the seat Fig. 23, and Figs. 24

into two compartments each adapted to re-. `ceive a pair of floats or buoyant members 38 i of rectangular shape in cross-section. Wood `slats 39 would be fixed to the sides of the floats or buoyant members 3S and these slats 39 would engage with cut-away parts or `grooves 4l() forlned in the partition 37 and .ably mounted ou ro( s i f2 fixed to the partition 37 and to the end members of the deckseat. The skeleton frame or main part of the deck-seat would be provided with a cover or seat proper 413, while loops 4st would be secured to the outer sides of the floats or buoyant members 38 to enable them to be drawn outward. A suitable arrangement ofl stops would be provided for limiting the outward movements of the floats or buoyant members 3S. T he manner in which this construction of deck-seat would be used will be understood from an inspection of the figures.

Referring to the construction of deckseats illustrated by Figs. 22 and 23 the main parts of the deck-seats consist of skeleton box-shaped frames 45, similar to the corresponding parts of the previously described constructions of deck-seats, and the battens 46, upon which the persons to be saved would sit astride, are slidably mounted on rods t7 fixed in said skeleton frames 45. 18 are the floats or buoyant members, of which two, four or more could be used. These floats or buoyant members are shown in Fig. 22 as being hinged to the skeleton frame 115 or main part of the deck-seat, and are retained in position when withdrawn from said frame by means of automatically acting spring catches 49 engaging with projecting parts 50 attached to the floats or buoyant members 48. In the case of Fig. 23 the floats or buoyant members are provided with eyes 51 and these eyes are slidably mounted on bars 52 fixed to the skeleton frame -lof the deck-seat. The floats or buoyant members 48 are moved from the positions shown in full lines to the positions shown in dotted lines by passing the eyes 5l along the bars 52.

ln the case of the deck-seat shown in Figs. 2a and 25 the skeleton frame or main part of the deck-seat is somewhat modified and consists of two end members connected to one another by longitudinal members 54 which are secured to the lower parts of said end members 53. rlhe floats or buoyant members 55, which are made of rectangular shape, are hinged to the longitudinal members'54- and are retained in their normal position by means of any suitable construction of catch 56. The batten 57 upon which the persons to be saved would sit astride is slidably mounted on rods 58 secured to the end members 53 of the skeleton frame or main part of the deck-seat.

The carrying capacity of deck-seats accoi-ding to the present invention would be increased by providingJ saine with foldable ladders, ladder or equivalent devices depending from the deck-seats and also with safety ropes and chains by which persons seated on said ladders or the like would be able to secure themselves in position thereon. These ladders or the like are similar in all respects to those used in the case of the raftstructures.

lf desired, as shown in Fig. 9.6, a seaanchor 59 may be attached to each deck-seat or raft-structure after it has received its full complement.

ln all cases the floats or buoyant members or the parts of the raft-structures and deckseats supporting same would be retained in the pffsitions they occupv by catches, preferably automatically acting catches, when said structures and seats are used for life-saving purposes. These catches may be of various constructions. A suitable form. of catch, `which could be used in the majority of cases, is shown in Fig. 27. As will be seen from an inspection of this ligure the catch may consist of a wedge-shaped piece of metal 60 fixed to the outer end of a somewhat stout resilient metal strip 6l.

The improved deck-seats would be launched in any suitable manner, such for instance as by means of davits, Winches or other lowering apparatus operated from a suitable part of the vessel. When the deckseats are intended to be lowered in this manner they may be provided at their ends with lengths of chain 62, as shown in Figs. 24 and 25.

Raft-structures and deck-seats constructed in accordance with the invention possess many advantages. One of the chief advantages they possess is that a large number of people can be saved bya single raft-structure or deck-seat, as will be understood from the following particulars of one of the iinproved deck-seats. f

Assuming that adeck-seat is 2 ft. 6 ins. in width, l ft. l() ins. in height and 8 ft. in length, then such a deck-seat would be capable of accommodating inside the seat six persons seated one behind the other on a single hatten. This Vdeck-seat will when opened out be nearly 6 ft. in width, and will then be capable of safely supporting by means of the ladders or the like, suspended from the loutside of the deck-seat, fourteen more people, six of whom would seat themselves on each of the ladders or the like suspended from the sides of the deck-seats while two persons would seat'themselves on the ladders hanging from each of the ends of the deck-seat. Such a deck-seat when used as a seat proper will accommodate twelve persons seated back to back.

Again the improved raft-structures and deck-seats need not necessarily be launched, as in certain cases where the deck of the vessel is located at but a short distance from the water the persons to be saved could bestride the battens, narrow frames or the like forming the central parts of the raftstructures and deck-seats and walk down chutes or planks into the water. Or after having bestrode said battens or narrow frames they could await the sinking of the vessel. ln the sameway persons intending` to save themselves by means of the ladders cr the like on the outside of the raft-structures or deck-seats would be able to get into position and await the sinking of the vessel.

lt will be readily understood that in the case of raft-structures I may, if desired, employ a net and connect this net to the light tubular frame which is connected to the floats or buoyant members, and provide this net with a lower rigid tubular frame which is of smaller dimensions than the upper tubular frame and supports a floor, which latter would support battens upon which the persons to be saved would be able to seat themselves.

Having now described my invention what l have invented and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is as follows i l. A raft comprising a rectangular frame, floats pivotally connected to the sides of the frame and arranged outside of it, a seat arranged. inside the said frame and free to pass vertically through it, and flexible connections which suspend the seat from the side and end portions of the frame. y

2. A raft comprising a rectangular frame, floats pivotally connected to the sides of the frame and arrangel formed of a plurality of narrow boards arranged parallel to each other and having crosspieces i secured. at intervals between them,- said seat being arranged inside the outside. of it, ak seat iis said frame and free to pass vertically through it, and flexible connections which -suspend the said seat from the frame.

l0 portions of the said floats.

4. In deck-seat rafts the combination of a rigid frame fitted with floats adapted to open outward7 reversible seating devices carried by said rigid franie, and reversible trapeze or ladder-like devices provided with vertical ropes and adjustable loops for securely holding the people seated on the trapeze or ladder-like devices.

5. Raft-structures, .in which as in the case of the deck-seat rafts the greater part of 20 the bodies of the people to be saved must 'for the purposes of buoyancy and stability be iinniersed in the water, the combination of a rigid frame provided with floats adapted to open outward, reversible seating devices carried by said frame between the iloats, and reversible trapeze or ladder-like devices fitted with vertical ropes and adjustable loops for securely holding people seated on the trapeze or ladder-like devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS TABULO.

Vitnesses:

ARTHUR F. ENNIS, ORLANDO J. WORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

